Flares
by JustSuperThanks
Summary: *ON HOLD* OlderClem x Nick They're both 21 now, no AU intended, starts as a T but may have some rated M moments (I'll write if the chapter is 'M' at the top.) Please give me feedback on how you think the chapter went because it's really appreciated. THIS IS CLICK. You best be expecting references by the way. (To anything really, I'm not going to list them out.)
1. Where it all began

"I had to kill my mom."

Clementine's gaze widened at Nick, the asshole who tried to shoot her down when they first met. She didn't know whether to feel sorry for him or what. She had had to shoot Lee but he wasn't her mother, or her father. He was a stand in father but not her actual father and Clementine couldn't help but feel sorry for Nick after hearing what he'd just said.

"Sounds weird when I say it out loud, huh?" Nick asked staring at his boots as he used his little energy to stay slumped against the wall of the dimly lit cellar. "Luke always used to push me. I never wanted to go into business with him. I remember when he sold me on it. His big plan. Some fuckin' plan. A case of beer in he just said _'Nick, we're burnin daylight!' _and that was that." Nick took the cover off of the jar that was nestled against his stomach. "After six months, we were flat broke. But I didn't care. We were havin' fun." Nick took a tiny pause as he let his gaze turn into more of a dazed stare while looking at the hard concrete floor beneath the two. He took a gulp of whiskey making Clementine roll her eyes as she stood above him. After a long while of silence Nick returned his original thought. "I wish I was like him. I wish I could just keep movin' all the time. I'm just not... built like that." He said finally. "Everyone I grew up with. It all... happened to them." He took another sip. "And now it's going to happen to us." He said letting his ice blue eyes look over to Clementine. Clementine carefully sat down next to him as she let her head slump down on to his shoulder. She felt him tense up but soon return to normal.

"We're all so fucked." He said after a moments' pause. "This whole world is fucked."

"We'll make it."

"Bullshit." Nick said scooting away from the girl. His gaze was vicious and hurting, not hurting to her but as if he were holding in all the pain instead of letting it out. "I mean what's the point? We'll just march to some new place and somebody else'll die. It's never gonna stop. And eventually, it'll be our turn." Nick said letting his back slump against the wall again. He took a drink before saying something else. "I can't believe we've been here a day. A DAY. It's been a day, right?" He asked that same depressed-drunk look on his face. "Hey kid, have a drink with me." He said handing a jar of whiskey to her. "It's probably gonna be your first, and your last." He said with an adorable chuckle afterwards. Clementine took the jar and very gracefully took a swig of it after clinking her jar against Nick's and talking about 'Peter Joesph Randall' in which Clementine had previously known as Pete.

"How can you drink that stuff without having to pee?" Clementine asked as she squinted at the wall in front of them, she'd had drinks before the apocalypse and had always had this question.

"You don't just NOT have the urge to pee. You kinda hold it or... whatever." Nick explained as he shifted uncomfortably. It fell silent between the two, all that you could hear being their breaths that seemed to be almost timed perfectly to synchronize in and out as the moonlight from the small window above them danced upon the harsh gray concrete beneath them.

"Listen. They're not comin' for us. You should go. Run for it." Nick said.

"Wh- What're you gonna do?" Clementine asked fear spread in her eyes as she looked to her right at the raven haired boy.

"Stay here. I'm tired." He replied letting his eyes fall shut while setting down his jar next to him. Clementine crossed her arms as she pouted even though he couldn't see.

"You know I'm not leaving without you, right?" Clementine asked putting a hand on Nick's shoulder. Nick opened his eyes surprised as his face fell pink.

"Wasn't I the guy that tried ta shoot off your goddamned head? Why would you want me around?" Nick asked confused.

"Yes, yes you were. And I won't forget that." Clementine said letting her hand fall off his shoulder and back on to her lap. "But with your shitty aim..." she began as she cracked a half smile. Nick smiled back and rolled his eyes.

"You should be thankin' me for my _'shitty aim'_." He said still smiling slightly. "Why aren't you gonna leave me then?" He asked still slightly confused after a few moments.

"You're my spark filled with hope." Clementine explained as she placed her right hand on top of his left one. Nick felt his face burn red as he looked away, pulling his hat's visor down to hide his face. Clementine stifled a laugh as she took her hand off of his. All Nick was thinking though was _"I ain't never washing that hand again." _as he very protectively placed it on his lap. A small smile etched across his face as Clementine used her forefinger to lift Nick's visor from covering his face.

"I've broken but never mended." He said quietly. Clementine almost shouted as she perked up happily.

"Nah you were just blinded by-"

"The light." They both finished at the same time. Nick chuckled as Clementine smiled widely at him.

"Lets agree to be each others' flares, Okay?" Nick asked.

"Okay." Clementine answered as she got to her feet. She grabbed Nick's hand forcefully pulling him to his feet with a large JOLT feeling.

"Now look, if we get separated. The cabin's only a half mile from here. You can't miss it." Nick said.

"We aren't going to get separated." Nick stifled a half-laugh half-scoff at the girl.

"You really are into believing that but the world..."

"Is not a wish granting factory." They both finished again.

"Ya know I have the feeling we would've been good friends if it hadn't've been the apocalypse that we'd met in." Clementine said as the two pulled the crate away from blocking the doors that creaked when opened. The two began out the cellar as stealthily as possible when a walker turned the corner moaning and groaning away, it's hissing taking up most of it's vocal chords as far they could tell. The walker tried to grab at Clementine when..._ CRASH!_

"Heh fuck you, motherfucker!" Nick shouted as the walker fell to the ground. A few, and by a few I mean four, noticed and began speeding up closer to the duo.

"Oh shit..." Nick said as the two began to be cornered, their backs a few feet away from the cellar doors. "Hey! Over Here!" Nick shouted as he waved his arms in the air whilst jumping after running a few feet away from Clementine to insure her safety, by a few this time I mean like 15. "C'mon you fucks! Look at me!" Nick shouted again as the sky shone pink and lavender behind him being cut up by the tall pine trees' ridged edges. Clementine thought the illumination effect they were giving Nick suited him quite well but now was not the time for a "How-to show natural beauty" documentary.

"Get the fuck outta here!" Nick urged as the walkers began slowly limping towards him. Clementine immediately began sprinting to Nick to grab his arm only to be pushed back and harshly told that she was said to _'Get the fuck outta here.'_

"We aren't getting sepa-"

"JUST GO!" Nick shouted. "I'll- I'll be fine." Nick told her punching a walker down sending it to create a domino effect of three behind it. Then it was silent between the two roaming ones that had not reanimated yet. Silent, but not awkward. Clementine was currently in little danger as she watched the slight sunlight shine against Nick's glossy ice blue eyes. Beautiful, yet so simple.

"CLEMENTINE!" Nick almost shrieked, his voice broken as he ran behind her and punched a walker behind her down to the ground. "If you are gonna kill anyone-" Nick got down and started punching it more. "It's gonna be me mother fucker!" He shouted as he smashed the walkers' head in with his foot.

"Nick we gotta get outta here!" Clementine urged grabbing on to his arm. She watched his arm become even more tense then it already was.

"You- You go! I got this! Don't worry 'bout me!" He shouted sending her back into the forest. She watched him kick each of the walkers that was in his way 's knee sending them all cascading into the ground for a short while. Clementine began running through the forest as a question echoed through her head. Okay? _'No, it's not okay.' _Clementine thought to herself as she ended her journey slightly outside the cabin. She huffed and panted as she leaned over her now weak legs catching her breath.


	2. GET THE GUNS!

Clementine continued to run through the forest all the while she thinking _It's not okay, it's not okay._ She stopped in her tracks right outside the cabin as she caught her breath trying to think of what the idiot who was basically surrounded by walkers back in the cellar would say. _''Run much?"_ Yeah, that sounded very Nick-ish to her. Then again they had recently became less of enemies more of friends with a twist. JUST friends. She had to remind herself. Oddly enough though Clementine just couldn't help but think about him now, was Nick alright? Had he been bitten? _God I hope he's alright..._ she thought as she took a final gasp-y breath and then opened the door to the cabin as she fled into the kitchen.

"Clementine!" Carlos exclaimed pushing out of his chair and standing in front of the girl. "Are you alright? Luke's not with you?" He asked kind of panicky.

"Where's Alvin?!" Rebecca asked viciously. _All you ever do is freakin' worry 'bout yourself AND Alvin, bein' pregnant ain't an excuse!_ Clementine tried to fill in the emptiness she felt in the pit of her stomach by trying to think of something Nick would say but it just wouldn't work.

"Pete got bit." She said finally able to think of something to say.

"What?" Carlos asked followed by a new question. "What happened?"

"Walkers." Clementine explained.

Rebecca asked soon after "Where were you, where were you EXACTLY?!"

"Down by the stream." Clementine answered, a worried expression soon spreading on her face as heartache set in, not quite like medical heart ache that you take pills for, but more like _'__If Nick's dead or in any way injured I am going to hate myself for the rest of my walker infested life' _heart ache as Clementine described it while decoding what exactly she felt. There hadn't been this much heartache in a while for her and it kinda scared the shit out of her.

"We've gotta go looking for them-"

"Rebecca-" Carlos was soon cut off.

"My husband is still OUT there! GET THE GUNS!" Clementine smiled at that last part, the way Rebecca had said it was so funny but she for some reason wasn't feeling happy enough to crack a smile. _"__GET THE GUNS!" _Carlos went into the other room to hopefully 'GET THE GUNS'.

"Luke and Alvin went out looking for you- I told them not to go!" Rebecca said turning away from Clementine. "Dammit Luke!" Rebecca cursed hitting her leg with her fist. Carlos came back with a rifle and pistol in hand. Funny enough he kept the tiny gun and handed Rebecca- rage filled Rebecca- the rifle.

"Clementine can you please watch Sarah?" Carlos asked as they began heading out in a tone that would make you think he was talking to a five-yearold.

"Yes, you can trust me." Clementine replied with a smile.

"Thank you," Carlos said lastly before exiting with a smile. Clementine headed upstairs into the younger girls' room to be greeted by a camera.

"Say 'cheese'!" Sarah said clicking (No pun intended) the camera. "I found this under the house, there was all kinds of old stuff! Take one of me!" Sarah said all at once as if there was no limit to the capacity of oxygen in which her lungs could hold.

"Sure..." Clementine replied edgily as she set down her backpack and took the camera.

"Get me in a good pose, okay?" Sarah asked as she backed up and smiled. "I'm ready." Sarah said, her voice muffled through her shiny smile. Clementine carefully snapped the picture still worrisome over Nick. _God, is he okay? _She almost felt as if she was going to cry, the last time she had done that was about three years ago when her step in father Lee... well... you know the story by now. Get bit, have your brains get shot out... that kinda thing.

"Clementine? What's wrong? Umm where's my dad?" Sarah asked.

"He's fine." Clementine said now even more worrisome, not only for Nick but also for the fact that her worry seemed to appear to Sarah which basically meant everyone could see it.

"Are you sure?" Clementine didn't know what to reply so she just kept silent. Sarah carefully turned away. "Sorry I just need to-" The 15-yearold said as she sat down and hugged her knees close to her body. Clementine frowned. Sarah stood up and looked out the window, "Hey Luke's back." The younger girl exclaimed as she headed out the bedroom door. Clementine wasn't so sure about this. She followed Sarah down the stairs to stop by the barrier and discuss stuff.

"That's not Luke." Sarah said worried too now. "Clem-" Sarah said as her voice reached a whole new upper pitch. "I think we know him. He can't see me. You have to make him go away!" Sarah said as the stranger continued to pound on the door.

"Go and hide!" Clementine said.

"Where?" Sarah asked. The stranger hit the door more fiercely and called out a 'Hello?' "Clem- I can't breath- I ca- can- can't breath!" Clementine put a finger to her lips.

"Ssshh!" Clementine urged as she treaded lightly while approaching the door, she was about to reach for the lock when-

"Hello there." The stranger said opening the door before she had the chance to lock it.

"Get out. Now- I have a gun." Clementine urged.

"I would too, but I assure you I'm not a bad guy sweetie." _I ain't your sweetie! _Clementine thought to herself. Clementine felt her eyes wander down to a belt with a gun holster holding what she was sure was a fully loaded gun. _Not a bad guy my ass. _She thought to herself as she crossed her arms.

"My boyfriend will be back any minute now and he is basically hulk-smash on guys like you." Clementine said testily.

"Well, I'll cut to the chase. I'm out lookin' for my people. 7 of them to be exact, they've been gone a long time and I'm worried they might'a gotten lost. Maybe you've seen 'em?" The man asked completely ignoring everything that Clementine had just said. "Couple 'o farm boys and an old man, Spanish guy and his daughter. Quiet girl, bit shorter than you." He said.

"Haven't seen 'em. Now you should leave- like now." She urged again.

"Anyone else here?" The stranger asked again. Clementine rolled her eyes. _Why the fuck do you care? Get out! _She thought. She stayed silent allowing him to just stand there stupidly. A door from upstairs clicked shut (Once again no pun intended.). The stranger's eyes moved up to the door. He squinted before pulling out his gun.

"Didn't you say nobody was here?" He asked.

"I didn't say ANYTHING." Clementine replied her arms crossed as she raised an eyebrow. The man pushed her to the side as he walked upstairs and into Sarah's bedroom. Clementine's eyes locked with Sarah's who was under the bed slightly.

"Sorry, didn't mean ta be rude. Couldn't leave ya with a good conscience with someone pokin' around, right?" He asked. _Yeah uh, okay. _Clementine thought. The guy seemed as if he were about to walk out of the room when he suddenly bent over and picked up the picture of Sarah from earlier.

"Now who's this?" He asked smiling. _Fuck, we're so fucking screwed! _Clementine thought almost stifling a laugh at the idea that both Nick and her would probably think the same thing right now.

"Nice," He said in reply to her silence. "You have no idea who these people are, do you?" He asked suddenly serious.

"How do you know them?" Clementine asked letting her guard down.

"Lemme ask ya this," The guy started suddenly irritated as he stared up at the ceiling. "When you met 'em, how much did they trust ya?"

"Well, Luke trusted me. Kind of- I mean he stayed in the shed with me because he fought along side with me that it was NOT a walker bite."

"If people don't trust you- how can you trust them?" The guy asked. "Well, I think I've troubled you long enough. I can let myself out." He added as he began out the door, allowing the picture to fall from his fingertips as he left.

"Why shouldn't I trust them?!" Clementine shouted leaning over the railing.

"You have a real nice day now." The stranger answered.


	3. You got lucky

**A/N: So I've decided in this story that bold italics = Nick's thoughts and regular italics = Clementine's thoughts. Okay? Okay. (Pun intended.)**

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><p>"We've gotta find the others." Clementine suggested after getting off the couch that the younger girl Sarah and herself had been sitting on as they discussed where the stranger had gone.<p>

"What?! We can't go outside!" Sarah said as the two began into the kitchen just in time to see the door open.

"Clementine!" Luke said worriedly. "You know where Nick is right? We gotta go find 'im." Luke said as you could hear Sarah and her father catching up in the background. _How am I gonna tell them about the gu-_

"A man was here." Sarah said cutting off Clementine's thoughts before she even had the chance to think them.

"What?" Carlos asked followed by Rebecca with an angry "What did she say?"

"Clementine talked to him!" Sarah said quickly.

"And you just opened the door for him?!" Rebecca asked infuriated at Clementine. Luke said a quick "Calm down Rebecca," and then was replied to with a "Calm down?! I am calm! You calm down!" before Clementine answered her.

"I didn't open the door! He just came in!" Clementine said defensively.

"She's telling the truth!" Sarah backed up. "He saw a picture of me..." She added afterwards.

"A PICTURE?! WHAT'RE YOU DOING TAKING PICTURES?!" Carlos asked even madder than Rebecca.

"Carlos."

"What?!" Carlos asked turning to Luke.

"Ya need ta calm down, okay? You're scarin' your daughter." Luke said.

"It's my fault. I took the picture." Clementine defended. Sarah's head darted up from the ground towards Clementine.

"No- I asked her to!" Sarah said after.

"Sarah..." Carlos said in an 'I have a migraine' tone.

"We gotta head out- everyone pack your things, we're headin' out!" Luke shouted. Clementine felt an idea pop into her head as she rushed upstairs towards Nick and Luke's bedroom. She opened the top drawer and grabbed a watch that she believed Nick had mentioned earlier but she wasn't certain. She rushed downstairs and they headed outbound.

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><p>After about 30 minutes of walking, and 'I'm sorry I got testy back there Clementine' from Rebecca, and 'I'm obviously giving you the cold shoulder but do not want to acknowledge it' in reply from Clem, and cutting off Clementine's misery of listening to Rebecca ramble about baby names they came to the cellar.<p>

"Open it-" Luke said machete in hand after slaughtering two or so walkers. Clementine carefully opened the door to reveal a dim room with sunlight desperately trying to flood into it through the two small cracked windows.

"Holy shit..." Luke said looking as if he might vomit.

"Hey man- you got any aspirin?" Nick asked pushing off the cold ground in a soft almost kind of adorable voice.

"Nick!" Clementine shouted running towards him. Nick winced and clenched his teeth at the noise as Clementine forcefully hugged him both arms wrapped around his upper body.

"Well, that was unexpected." Luke said looking back towards the group members who were mostly raising their eyebrows at Clementine.

"Are you alright? Did you get bit? How do you feel?!" Clementine flooded Nick with a ton of questions all the while not caring that Nick's heartbeat was going crazy or that he was blushing or how tense he felt as she hugged him.

"Gah, Clem I'm fine just a hangover." Nick said breaking away from the girl reluctantly as the tenseness disappeared.

"Clem?" Luke questioned raising an eyebrow at Nick. Nick scoffed as he rolled his eyes.

"Okay?" Clementine asked pulling him to his feet.

"Okay." He answered. A sudden wave of sadness hit Nick all at once, "Pete's dead!" He said trying not to cry as he did the same to Luke- forcing a hug.

"I know, I do man. But we gotta get movin', Carver's gang showed up, can ya do that?" Luke asked trying to prep his best friend for a long road ahead.

"Yeah- yeah." Nick confirmed as they began walking. Nick took a few deep breaths almost silently as his eyes wandered over to Clementine and chills were sent up his spine.** _Shut the hell up heart! _**He thought as he bit his lip beginning to approach her from the back.

"Hey uh- Clementine." He said half smiling a real smile as his heartbeat went wild again while placing a hand on Clementine's shoulder. She turned back to face him slightly, he felt ecstatic around her but refused to tell her on the grounds that whenever he did that the person A. Died or B. Distanced themselves from him. All he honestly wanted to know was if she felt like that about him.

"Yeah?" She asked as his ice blue eyes hit against her amber ones. He swallowed hard before allowing his hand to slip off her shoulder.

"I uh- thanks for not giving up on me back there." He said biting his bottom lip without realizing it. She let on a light smile as she did the same, not realizing it she bit her lower lip.

"I'll never give up on you." She said as he stomach filled with butterflies _'__I can't believe I actually just fucking said that, WHY!?'_ Clementine thought as she tensed up slightly. Nick smiled as he reached for the sky inside.

"I uh-" Nick honestly had no idea how to reply, I mean what do you say to a person you'd marry when not wanting to tell them that you feel that way? "Th- thanks Clem, that means a lot... from you." He said slightly turning pink at that last part as he looked down at his boots while walking. Clementine felt herself blush slightly too as a warm and fuzzy feeling flooded her. She slowed down to the pace Nick was going at and hugged him from the side, letting her head nestle on his shoulder.

"Ya know how earlier- wait a minute you weren't there." Clementine squinted as she looked off into the distance her head still on Nick's shoulder. "Ey Luke! What'd Becs say about like how none of us would make it on our own and blah blah blah earlier?!" Clementine shouted to the front.

"She said like 'None of us would make it on our own besides you' and stuff." He shouted back as he inspected a map.

"Without you it's hard to survive." Clementine said to Nick as she rubbed her head on his neck up and down a few times before settling back on his shoulder. Luke looked back smirking.

"Well look who have finally became friends." He said smiling slightly. _**Friends,** _Nick thought trying to burn that into his brain. **_Friends._** he repeated. _Friends, _Clementine thought to herself _Friends. _She painfully repeated to herself. Clementine took off her hat and held it in her hands as she looked down at it while leaning against Nick just hoping he was going in the right direction. Nick gave Clementine a small peck on the head as he let his chin rest on her head._  
><em>

"Without you it's hard to survive too," Nick said quietly. Clementine looked up at him surprised almost. "No like I mean- NO! Like-" Nick began to get flustered as his face shone red.

"What were you tryin'a say there Nick? Can't hear ya!" Luke shouted from the front of the group while grinning.

"You know what I mean though..." Nick whispered so that only Clementine and himself could hear.

"I do." She replied unintentionally. _Fuck, that might've- wait no he's not like me he probably doesn't think of it like that- right? I mean can 21 year olds even get married? Fuck... can they?! _Clementine thought biting her bottom lip again.

"I do?" Nick asked smirking as he looked down at her with one eyebrow raised.

"So you were thinking about my choice of words too then?" She asked slightly embarrassed.

"Well I mean I kind of do think about yo-" Nick cut himself off right then and there as he pulled his hat over his face. Clementine felt a smile spread across her face.

"What were you saying?" She asked. Nick stayed silent. Clementine carefully took her forefinger and knocked Nick's hat off his head by pushing up the visor, Nick's face was red as he bit his lip and looked down at his feet. Clementine huffed.

"Ey! Don't huff at me lil' lady!" Nick said crossing his arms at the girl as she went back and picked up his hat.

"I'll huff at you if I want lil' dude." Clementine replied as she put Nick's hat on, putting hers in her back pocket. Nick squinted at her for a second.

"Don't call me "lil' dude'' - and gimme back my hat!" Nick said grabbing for his hat. Clementine grinned at took it off holding it above Nick's head where he couldn't reach it.

"Oh come on!" Nick shouted as he began chasing the girl who started running towards the front of the group. Luke chuckled and smirked at Nick.

"It's Click." Sarah whispered to Luke as she edged closer to him. Luke smiled.

"I ship it." Luke said under his breath making the 15 year-old smile slightly as they all stopped.

"Clem, can ya see if you spot anything up there?" Luke asked pointing to a rock for Clementine to climb. She smiled and nodded as Luke tossed some binoculars to her.

"You got lucky!" Clementine told Nick as she tossed his hat back to him.

"Yeah right." He said sarcastically as he put on his hat which covered his fluffy raven hair. Nick crossed his arms as he watched from a distance while Clementine climbed the rock binoculars in hand.


	4. IMPORTANT AN!

**Dear Readers,**

**Okay so first off, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT! I really appreciate it and you guys' reviews make me smile like an idiot (That's a good thing by the way because I only do that smile when I'm SUPER happy.) Anyways I'm gonna take a break for awhile as I work on chapter 4. Not a long while or anything just a short one as I edit chapter 4 and stuff. It might be a few days before I post another chapter and I wanna tell you this now so I don't end up with messages like "Are you dead?" and stuff. (I'm sorry for the 'and stuff' Nuke4Lyfe, I know it's your petpeeve.) OH! One other thing, I never thought I'd have such amazing followers to this story, like (Okay here comes the name drops...) PeanutFangirl, Nuke4Lyfe, GoldenEnderHawk (You're awesome by the way), and SHENE CRYER. I know that's basically all the followers and whatever but I'd rather have a few followers that are awesome then like... 100 that suck. I'd just like to say thank you for the support and everything and I hope to continue this story for a long time to come! :)**

**Best wishes,**

** [Literally] JustSuperThanks**


	5. Drop Me (Even more important AN)

**A/N: Okay guys, so I know I said I was going to take a break while I edited chapter 4 but I'd much rather take a break a few days while editing chapter 5 instead. So like, enjoy. Alright**** so about... I dunno, 2 chapters ago, was it? A reader (SHENE CRYER) asked if this will brake off of the main storyline/plot and the answer to that is... I honestly have no clue yet, it might. But it also might not. I'm not quite sure but that's something to take into mind for me. K anyways on to the story!... Where'd I leave off? Oh yeah! The rock climb! Last last thing! Underlined italics will = Luke's thoughts.**

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><p>"Enjoying the view Nick?" Clementine jokingly called out.<p>

"N- No!" He said as he looked away trying to hide his faint blush. After describing her surroundings and all that she came to the bridge.

"There's the bridge." Clementine called downwards.

"Good, and, does it look passable?"

"Yeah I- I think so." Clementine replied. She slowly began making her way downward.

"We have to cross that bridge." Carlos said in his stern voice.

"Well, listen we all can't go sprintin' across that thing, alright? If we get spotted out there we're gonna be trapped."

"Going around that lake will take too long." Carlos replied. Luke took a breath before continuing.

"Yeah but listen, we have NO idea who's out there? Okay?"

"What's your plan?" Alvin asked.

"Clem and I can scoot across low and slow, make sure no one's waitin' for us on the other side." Luke said flashing a shiny smile.

"We'll have a hard time coverin' you from back here." Alvin brought up.

"Well, we'll just turn back if things get hairy."

"I can go too." Nick butted in. Luke thought for a sort moment before replying.

"You stay with the group." He said.

"Luke, I'm fine!" Nick tried to say in an angry voice, something about this angry voice came out worried though along with another emotion that Clementine couldn't think of a word for at the moment.

"C'mon." Luke said as the two began walking. Clementine took a quick glance back to catch Nick staring at her a sad look on his face. _He is NOT jealous, is he? _Clementine asked herself suddenly remembering the word for the other emotion she originally couldn't place.

"Hey, uh, sorry 'bout that. I could just really use your eyes, and right now I don't trust Nick ta tie his own shoes." Luke said as they continued tromping through the dry grass. "Although now that I think about it..." Luke said half smiling a particularly devilish grin. "You seem ta have gotten him to snap back rather quick." He finished. Clementine rolled her eyes.

"No, I didn't." She stated plainly. Luke gave her a confused look before gesturing for her to continue. "I simply chose something to distract him with rather then bring up the thing of pain because, believe it or not, TALKING ABOUT IT DOESN'T HELP."

"Distract him with yourself..." Luke said stifling a laugh.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Clementine asked defensively as she crossed her arms at the brunette.

"Well I mean he does kind of, like, you know how he sort of is a bit of a bitchsquealer sometimes?" Luke asked. Clementine half frowned but nodded. "Well I mean like ain't it goddamned obvious?" Luke asked gawking at her lack of understanding the situation. Clementine sent him a confused look. "You don't feel that heartbeat of his goin' a million miles an hour while he's all like, tense, and stuff?" Luke asked.

"We're just friends." Clementine stated as she shook her head in the 'no' direction while looking up at the pointy tree tops just to have something, besides this conversation of course, to concentrate on. Luke squinted at the girl before saying something else.

"Nick would like ta be more then friends I bet..." He mumbled. Clementine took a large sigh of anger trying to ignore Luke's stupid little comments that were slowly getting to her. "I mean he talks about you all the time and stuff..." Another hit sending Clementine's patience level down from a 8 to a 5. "You like him back too?" Luke asked finally. Clementine darted her head at him. Her relaxed hands suddenly were fists. She could feel her nails dig into her palms. She sent a glare at Luke as an idea came to mind. After a brief moment of both of them standing silently she pushed Luke backwards, causing him fall into a pit of mud.

"HEY! CLEM, WHAT THE FUCK?" Luke asked standing back up from the mud.

"You like him too?" Clementine asked looking over to a pissed off Luke.

"Okay, okay... GOD." Luke said brushing off his legs as they continued their walk. The two stopped behind a bush seeing a couple of walkers in front of them.

"Hmm." Luke said as he examined the groaning reanimated's in front of them. "We can't shoot 'em. Too much noise." He said, before he had the chance to say anything else Clementine spoke up.

"Lets take 'em." She said while taking a hammer out from her back pocket and placing her hat back on her head as well. Luke gave her a light smile before saying a very adorable "I like your style." They began closer crouching behind a rock not too far from the bridge.

"I'll take the big one, you get shorty." Luke said after a few seconds.

"I've got the big one," Clementine replied devilishly.

"Look, kid, it's not like I don't know you have the guts, but are you crazy?!" He asked.

"Maybe I am." Clementine replied. Luke bit his lip and darted his eyes away from the girl.

"Just- stick ta the plan? Okay?" Luke asked. _I'll stick with MY plan. _Clementine thought to herself as they began towards the walkers. She tried to psyche Luke out by heading towards the smaller demobilized walker and then- she took her hammer slamming it hard against the walking-walker's knee, sending it flailing towards the ground. Once that was done she put the sharp end of the hammer, the tongs, in the back of its skull making an echoing _CRACK _sound throughout the area. Luke rolled his eyes and went over to the smaller one as insta-killing it. Clementine tried pulling her hammer out all at once but failed first try.

"Go ahead, give it a good pull. Should come free." Luke said happily as he placed his machete in his machete holster.

"I know. I've done this before, remember? In a a shed." Clementine told him refusing to look back.

"Hey listen- I didn't wanna do that and you know it! It ain't my fault the shed wasn't as secure as they thought it would be I mean it's just- you- I was-"

"Yes?" Clementine asked pulling the hammer out at once.

"I just- I STAYED THERE WITH YOU! OKAY? I HAD TA GO THROUGH THAT SHIT TOO." Luke defended.

"Okay." Clementine said in a way that you'd think she didn't mean it.

**...**

The two had been walking on the metal part of the bridge for awhile when they were stopped in their tracks because of a train in front of them, a half body of a walker crawling out with its nails from underneath the train along with another walker sitting slightly under the train but not so bad that it couldn't get out. Clementine looked behind her hearing a groan to spot, yet, another walker.

"Shit." Luke said looking down at the slightly shorter girl as if she could possibly provide some advice. Luke pulled out his machete and headed towards the one in caboose as Clementine started towards the other two. I say started because after about 2 steps she heard a loud _CREAK, BRAKE! _and a shout not long after. She immediately turned around, where the hell was Luke?! She ran over to a fallen piece of the bridge.

"LUKE!" Clementine shouted reaching down at him.

"Clem, I'm okay. I just, I'm stuck." Luke said shifting on the two metal pipes supporting him over the lake. Happily the walker had been impaled on the way down, right through the chest and heart.

"I can't reach!" Clementine said with a bit of struggle as she reached down towards Luke.

"It's okay. Clem, look, we'll figure somethin' out. Behind you!"

"Oh shit..." Clementine mumbled as she pushed away from the hole and hit the walker at the knee like Nick did that one other time. It fell to the ground and she tried smashing its head in but she accidentally hit it from the side of the face causing the hammer to get stuck in its jaw. The hissing noises made Clementine nauseous as she tried to pull the hammer out, succeeding in not only breaking away its lower jaw, but ALSO ending up on the very edge of the bridge. She regained her balance as the monster rose to its feet and pounced for her. She fell slightly and held on to the brim of the guardrail, watching one of the walkers, the one her hammer got stuck in the face to, fall into the water. Regaining balance again she stood back up to find herself trapped by being pounced at by, yet another walker. She slowly lost grip and now nothing was below her feet besides water, her hands tightly gripping the edge to the bridge as her feet flailed in the air below. She panicked making worried gaspy noises as her hammer fell from her fingers.

"CLEM!" Luke almost shouted, his voice cracking. She got a better grip and climbed back up ducking and dodging the walkers. She psyched out one then ran to the other side. It began to turn around giving Clementine a split second. She grabbed Luke's machete and pushed it through the back of the walker's throat killing it instantly. She heard a creak and a 'Fuck! No-' She ran over to the hole as one of the bars supporting Luke collapsed. She, not thinking grabbed on to his arm seeing as it was the bar supporting his upper body that collapsed. Luke opened his eyes a few seconds later to find him self, astonishingly, not dead. He was however hanging by a thread as his chocolate eyes met the tear filled ones made of amber. _Don't piss her off now__ Luke! _He thought to himself.

"Clementine," Luke sighed dropping his grip from her wrist, she was still holding on tightly to his though. "Drop me." Luke paused. "go get Nick and the others the fuck outta here." Those words hung in the air for a bit... _'__Drop me' _as Clementine began to feel an awful emptiness in the pit of her stomach again, more heartbreak her eyes filled with tears as his wrist slid down further from her grasp each second... _Drop him... _Clementine knew what she had to do...


	6. Drop Me (Part II)

**A/N: One, this chapter probably is gonna suck because I got lazy because my computer crashed a whole bunch so I had to re-write it like ten times, and two, happy Birthday Nuke4Lyfe! (Lol, yeah, just made that announcement public. :P Sorry.) Oh! Three, not much *Click* in this chapter, in fact I'm pretty sure there's like 0 Click-anything in this chapter, maybe a bit of brOTP *Cluke*, eh, I don't know exactly what this chapter is.**

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><p>Clementine knew what she had to do... the right thing... tears began to flow from her eyes as she lessened her grip slowly... <em>Th- The right thing... Wait a minute screw the right thing! <em>She leaned over and fixed her grip pulling him upwards until he was on the bridge.

"Phew," Luke said sighing as he pretended to wipe sweat from his forehead. "Goddamn, I thought you were gonna actually drop me for a second." He said letting out a chuckle at the end. "Like you were really startin' to scare m-" Luke paused as a soft sobbing noise filled in around him. "C- Clem...?" He asked quietly as he turned to face the girl.

"D- D- Don't you ever..." Clementine could barely speak a few words without hicking and sobbing away. "EVER fucking tell me to-" Luke was taken aback as she suddenly wrapped her arms around him. "fucking drop you..." She paused as she began intensely sobbing into his shoulder. Luke began rubbing her lower back.

"Ssshhh..." He said quietly as he nestled his head into her shoulder.

"EVER again!" She sobbed as she dug her nails into his back turning his dry fluffy sweater into a watery fluffy sweater.

"I won't." He whispered as he pulled out of the hug.

"No! I- I just, It's just that everyone seems to-" Clementine sniffled. "Everyone seems to die around me. _Lee, Kenny, Pete, _I almost caused Nick to die once,"

"Nick would'a died for you anyways." Luke said sending a light smile.

"Maybe so but..." Clementine sniffled again before looking back up at Luke and squinting at him making him blush slightly. "We're just friends. Nick and I, I mean." She said.

"You know tryin' ta distance yourself from him will in no way lessen the clean reality, right?" Luke asked raising an eyebrow.

"But it will prevent the 'clean reality' as you call it, from happening."

"Yeah," Luke scoffed. "Right,"

"Right." She said irritated as she turned to look away from him.

"Clem, just," He paused as the girl's gaze was suddenly sharp and harsh. "Just tell me one time, just ONE time, in history that distancing has ever worked." Luke said calmly.

"Right now." She smiling a sickie sweet smile.

"But if 'right now' weren't an option." Clementine stayed silent.

"You're such a dork." She said after awhile as she pushed his head backwards.

"What?" He asked smiling.

"You." She replied smiling back.

"What about 'Me'?" He asked.

"You're so dorky and quirky and funny in your own charming way." She said smiling. Luke raised an eyebrow at this.

"So now I'm quirky and funny and charming, eh?" He asked nudging her in the arm.

"Shut up," She smiled as she pushed him to the side.

"Owwie." He said in a babyish voice as he rubbed his arm.

"Lets just continue." She said happily as she stood up and grabbed Luke, pulling him to his feet as well.

* * *

><p>Luke stopped in his tracks and held his hand out stopping Clementine too.<p>

"Luke what're yo-"

"Ssshhh!" Luke urged. "You see 'im too?" Clementine looked up as she saw a stranger holding a rifle approaching them from the other side of the bridge.

"Yeah." She whispered in return.

"Just... stay calm and you do that talkin'." Luke said quietly.

"What? Why me?" Clementine asked in a panicky voice.

"'Cause I don't wanna piss him off. You really think he'd shoot someone as cute as you?" Luke asked. Clementine raised an eyebrow and before she had the chance to say something else-

"Well. Who are you?"A voice called out. The stranger's voice.

"Who's askin'?" Luke asked frowning slightly.

"I am."

"Wanna, help me out here?" Luke asked looking down at Clementine. She bit her lower lip.

-**Clementine's POV-**

"Why do you want to know?" I shouted at the stranger. I knew these guys, Luke, Nick, Rebecca, etc. were on the run and that we shouldn't give out their names willy nilly.

"Well, it's kind of my business seeing as I live here." He answered. I raised an eyebrow at him confused.

"You... live here?" Luke asked seeming to think the same thoughts as I was.

"Yup, right now you're in my backyard." He said as he began walking towards again. "Well, you don't look like assholes. Are you assholes?" He asked. I crossed my arms while I replied.

"I'm not an asshole." I heard Luke chuckle.

"You callin' me an asshole?" He asked smiling. I smiled slightly inside but refused to let it show outside.

"So where you heading?"

"Why do you care?" I asked still not trusting him. I'd only been with these guys for a little while but I already didn't want to fuck up anything. I thought about what Luke had said earlier. _"Nick would'a died for you anyways." _I smiled as a warm fuzzy feeling filled inside of me.

"I gotta say, you two look like shit. If you want I've got some canned stuff in that station back there."

"Thanks, what's the catch?" Luke asked. His hand was hovering just above the pistol on his belt.

"No catch, I've got plenty."

"Well then, thank ya." Luke said dropping his hand back by his side.

"No problem, nice meeting friendly faces out here. And if you wan-" The guy stopped talking. "What the fuck man?" He asked angrily. Luke and I turned around.

"What the hell is he doin'?" Luke asked as Nick came up, he was running rifle in hand. "No, no, no, he's with us." Luke told the guy as he raised his rifle. The man gave us a quick glance as we turned around.

"Nick! No!" Luke shouted.

"Nick! Don't shoot!" I shouted as well. It all happened so fast. "Put it down!" I heard the other guy say, and then all at once... _PEW! _I felt Luke pull be downwards as the sound went off. A few seconds later we looked up. The guy... he was holding on to his neck tightly and gurguling. The holding-on-to-his-neck thing that he was doing didn't help block the endless flow of blood coming out of his neck as he slowly fell backwards. My eyes widened as fell off the bridge. Luke and I rushed over and watched as he plummeted into the rushing current below.


	7. Confessions are forced

Clementine blinked quickly as the light hit against her eyes. Matthew was standing in front of Luke and her. _Wait... what? _She wondered as she blinked a few more times. It was the rifle scene all over again! Was before just a sort of... vision? Of what might happen if she didn't say something?

"Nick! Don't shoot!" Luke shouted while waving his arms. Clementine swallowed hard. Nick wouldn't listen to her, she knew it as a fact... unless... she really didn't want to say what she knew she had to if Matthew was to make it... the only thing he'd listen to.

"NICK! I LIKE YOU! I REALLY, REALLY LIKE YOU! Don't shoot!" She shouted. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Nick slowly lowered the rifle as his mouth hung agape. He felt his legs turn to jello beneath him. Had she really just said that? Nick felt his heartbeat begin beating ever harder as his rifle slowly fell from his grasp.

Luke turned his head at Clementine, both eyebrows raised, eyes wide, mouth hanging open as well. The two (Nick & Luke) shared the reaction with Matthew whose rifle also fell from his grasp.

"Whoa..." Matthew mumbled. Clementine felt the regret kick in as soon as she said it. But she had to, Nick wouldn't listen any other way... right? Clementine turned her attention back to Nick, hoping his reaction, wouldn't be a bad one. She could see, even from the distance away that she was, that his face was bright red.

Nick didn't know what to make of this whole situation. Everything was happening so fast, one minute he's wishing safety upon Luke and Clementine as they head for the bridge, the next he's at gun point during a 1V1 with a stranger, and the next Clementine is shouting she likes him. Nick blinked a few times before casually pinching his arm. _Shit! _He cursed in his mind from pain. Yeah, no, definitely not a dream. Nick swallowed hard before bending over and picking his rifle back up. His legs felt as if they'd collapse at any moment now. He carefully started towards Clementine and Luke.

As he edged closer he felt like he'd trip over his own feet at any time, now. Clementine blushed as he stopped in front of her. It was okay though, he was blushing too.

"Well ain't you two a bunch'a awkward pandas." Luke commented. Clementine and Nick turned their heads in unison to look over at Luke. Their mouths were both dropped open slightly, the corners slanted down- but other than that, their faces were expressionless. (Besides the faint pinkness over both of them.).

"C'mon, we gotta get off this bridge." Luke spoke again as the group appeared in the distance. Quietness surrounded them as everyone, including Matthew, began walking. Clementine walked at the very front of the group. She really didn't want to talk to anyone right now, Nick especially. Nick felt just the same, except he didn't want to talk to Clementine and he was at the very back of the group. Clementine stared at the boards below her as she walked. Her head was throbbing with everything that just happened.

_Nick almost shot a guy, I told him I like him, Luke called us awkward pandas, were taking off with a stranger who just so happens to know I like Nick... Ugh. _She thought. Clementine rubbed her temples trying to understand what was happening, she knew what happened just couldn't comprehend it all.

Nick stared at the boards he was walking on, one hand in his pocket to his camo pants, and another dragging his rifle on the ground, the barrel making an annoying scruffing noise against the boards. Nick really wanted to take a glance at Clementine... _Why shouldn't I? It's not like it's bad... right?... Do I dare though? _Oh, Nick dared. He looked up, past all the group members and at Clementine who held both hands in her jacket pockets and was staring at the boards like him. Nick's thoughts were scattered and conflicted. _Talk to her. _Half of him said _No, let her have her space. She'll talk to you when she WANTS to talk to you. _The other half told him. He agreed with the first half very quickly. Once they got off the bridge Nick tried to make a plan to when he'd talk to her about... things... he sat down on the bench trying hard to gather his thoughts._  
><em>

"Luke... can you check out the station with... this man?" Carlos said while pointing to Matthew. Luke nodded before walking into the station with Matthew. Alvin and Rebecca sat on a nearby log, along with Carlos, and Sarah sat on the hard ground nearby Carlos. Clementine had nowhere to go so she decided to walk into the station with Matthew and Luke, hoping maybe, that they wouldn't mind an extra hand.

"Hi Miss loves-a-lot." Luke smirked as Clementine walked in. Matthew had already began to try and unlock the chest. Clementine blushed slightly as she sheepishly rubbed her arm.

"Ha, ha." Clementine muttered, her voice full with sarcasm.

"Well, someone's cheery." Matthew commented and then, with a *_Click* _(No pun intended) the chest was quickly opened and Matthew pulled out two cans of peaches. He handed them to Luke before speaking.

"I've got more up at that ski lodge." Matt explained. "I've got a group up there." He spoke again. Luke nodded before the two walked out the door. "You comin'?" Matt asked as he looked back at Clementine who was standing in the middle of the station. Clementine nodded before walking out with them.

"Here ya go, Becs." Luke smiled as he handed one can to Rebecca and the other to Alvin. Rebecca mumbled a quick 'thank-you' before Matthew and Luke struck up a conversation about their favorite melee weapons, and before Matthew gawked that Luke had a machete as a primary weapon. This left Clementine standing, stupidly alone, holding her arm... and embarrassed. She took a quick glance at Nick to see him staring at her, and then as soon as their eyes met he'd dart his head in another direction before burying it in his hands. Clementine felt like a lost puppy, looking for somewhere to go. So it was no surprise that when Sarah suggested that she sit with her Clementine well-over welcomed the opportunity. Sarah and she soon struck up a conversation that was as ecstatic as Luke and Matt's about melee weapons. With the talk it was hard to remember Clementine ever even said anything to Nick.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey, so... at the beginning Clemmy-Clue gets this sort of... vision? Yeah, she imagined the whole 'Matthew fell over' scene. Sorry about that, I just needed a good excuse for entering the 'Nick, I love you- that's why you should listen and totally not shoot Matt in the neck!' thing. I was all like *GASP* "I should do that!" so I did... yeah, okay. Bye. :)**


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